Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning stretches during off season training activity at the NFL football team’s training facility in Englewood, Colo., on Monday, June 16, 2014.
Tennessee head football coach Butch Jones looks on from the sideline at Neyland Stadium.KNOXVILLE – Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning says he’s “a big Butch Jones fan” and believes the second-year Tennessee coach has his alma mater’s football program heading in the right direction.
Manning was in Knoxville on Monday for his charity golf tournament to benefit East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and his own PeyBack Foundation. Manning also plans to work out with Tennessee’s football team and speak to the players during his visit.
“I think it’s going in the right direction,” said Manning, the 1997 Heisman Trophy runner-up. “I think Butch had a lot of work to do when he got here. He’s put in that work. He’s signing some of his players. Every coach wants to have their players. He’s been patient. At the same time, he’s been hard-working, as he was advertised to be. He’s done that. I just see it continuing to get better. I really do.”
Tennessee is trying to end a string of four consecutive losing seasons, something that hadn’t happened to this program since 1903-06. The Volunteers went 5-7 last year in Jones’ debut season as coach, but they have since added a recruiting class ranked among the top five in the nation by multiple services.
“I really like Butch,” Manning said. “I’m a big Butch Jones fan.”